West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-07-01
HARpER'S FERRY LETTER.
HARPER's FERRY, June %.

I1AhIER - Il EhRl, ~ uuC 20
Mr.. EpIToR.-"From the fulness
of the heart the mouth speaketh,"
and we deem it necessary to give the
quotation by way of apology for OBJ
truding too often on your readers the
subject of the improved prospects of
Harper's Ferry. What his mistress
is to the lover, his money to the
miser, and ambition to the aspiring
politician, our proposed manufac-
lures are to us-our all-and wheth-
err consciously or not what is upper
most in our thoughts will force
vent and gain expression. The
wreck and ruin caused by dynamite
among the rocks in the bed of the
Shenandoah is something awful to
behold, and you would suppose that
ancient Chaos had resumed sway so
terribly shattered and so ineXtrica-
bly, COMPOUNDED are the fragments of
the various substances subjected to
the force of the explosions. For some
time there has been quite a struggle
within us between curiosity to inves
tigate this mysterious agency and q
wholesome dread of its unknown dan
gers. The gentleman in charge Of
the blasting operations-Mr. Law
renee Cloony--is of exceedingly
pleasant manners and, moreover, is a
man of intelligence far above the
average. Encouraged by his affa-
bility and his apparent confidence,
we ventured to approach him on the
works while he was preparing his
cartridges, and the deft and of-hand
manner in which he tossed about
the pesky thing gave us the assur-
ance that he was good man, who
was conscious of being at peace
with Heaven and ever ready to an
swer hasty summons to another
world. Now, Mr.. Editor, you have
often heard it said that discretion
was the better part of valor and,
taking it for granted that the prov
erb-the condensed wisdom of ages
is correct, there is no doubt that
we are perfectly hers, for we are
undoubtedly discreet in approach
ing dangers. We had understood
that the least jar was often sufficient
to explode miro glycerine which is,
We We believe, the principal ingredi-
ent of dynamite, ana we therefore
tiptoed our approach to Mr.. Gloomy
with more care and deliberation
than if we were treading on eggs.
A pert fly conscious, perhaps, Of i'm
punity, fastened on to the most
prominent and impressive of our
features that which we are vain of
having inherited from the Caesars,
and we dared not wink with the
pain or make the least motion to
beat him off lest we might cause
some disturbance Of the air and
bring about the dreaded catastrophe.
Mr.. Gloomy explained to US the ma
ture of this world-renowned power
which fairly promises to revolution
ize all our arts of war and peace, but
so oyermastering was our discretion
that we fear his lesson did not sink
as deeply into our mind as it ought,
and we will take occasion to visit
him at his boarding house for furth-
er information, taking with US for
illustration 4 roll of something
which we will suppose to be, but
which we will be careful shall not
be, dynamite. The work is now
principally conducted at Shenando-
all City, where the engineer in
charge proposes to construct gates
to lead to an immense reservoir to
extend from that point to the site of
the old rifle factory.
On Thursday, the 23rd inst, the
Eve of ST Johns, the brethren of
the mystic tie had their annual in
stallation of officers, and the new
Worshipful Master, E. d. Colgate,
treated to the delicacies Of the ssa-
son his brother Masons and their